Pasta/4 recipes

Lemon-Sage Tortellini with Chicken and Peppers recipe

Microwave spinach lasagna layered with cottage cheese, fresh spinach, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a herb-spiked tomato sauce. Vegetarian lasagna on the table in 70 minutes, no oven required.

Restaurant-style spaghetti and meatballs inspired by Little Joe's in L.A. Three-meat meatballs in a simmered tomato sauce with red wine, basil, and oregano. Worth every minute.

Spaghettini tossed with oil-packed sundried tomatoes, golden-seared zucchini chunks, garlic-infused olive oil, and a lemon-zested vegetable broth. A vegetarian pasta with sunny Mediterranean flavor.

An easy to make faux Alfredo sauce. This recipe, on further analysis, is too difficult for a person on crutches.

Bring flavors from India into your home with this succulent chicken dish that can be made in your crockpot.

Vegetarian baked ziti layered with creamy ricotta, melty mozzarella, and sharp parmesan in tangy tomato sauce. Simple Italian comfort food ready in an hour.

Italian spinach pasta (pasta verde): three-ingredient homemade green pasta of blanched spinach, eggs, and flour. Classic Emilia-Romagna technique for tagliatelle, lasagna, or ravioli.

Hearty burgundy spaghetti sauce with red wine, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper, basil, and oregano. A meatless pasta sauce with rich, wine-deepened tomato flavor.

Jumbo homemade ravioli with fresh basil-infused pasta dough and a ground veal filling. Giant 4-inch squares served with homemade tomato sauce. A from-scratch Italian pasta project worth the effort.

Light shrimp spaghetti in a white wine and tomato sauce with garlic, basil, and oregano. Low-fat weeknight pasta with bright, clean flavors.

Vegan spaghetti with mashed tofu, nutritional yeast, and tamari stirred into tomato sauce. A quick, high-protein plant-based pasta dinner for two.

A lighter noodle casserole made with low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, carrots, and mushrooms seasoned with basil and thyme. Diabetic-friendly and big enough to feed a crowd. Serves 12.

Italian Parmesan risotto topped with garlicky pan-toasted mushrooms. Creamy rice built one ladle of broth at a time, finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano and crowned with golden mushrooms.

Whole wheat spaghetti tossed with golden garlic, fiery dried chili, and tender broccoli in fruity olive oil. A 30-minute Italian classic that's naturally vegan.

Classic Italian-American lasagna with hot Italian sausage, a carrot-and-celery-studded tomato sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and stretchy mozzarella. A peppery weeknight crowd-pleaser.